Drilling rig



y 179, 1942- G. J. c. FAILING 2,233,866

DRILLING RIG Filed July 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [IVVEIVTOR George J. C fbi/l'ny A iTORNEY Patented May 19, 1942 UNITED STATES, PATENT azsasst OFFICE nammc RIVG George J. C. Failing, Enid, kla., assignor to The George E. Failing Supply Company, Enid, 0kla.,

a corporation of Oklahoma Application July 19, 1939, Serial No. 285,253

10 Claims.

it becomes necessary to add drill pipe sectionsor to withdraw the drilling string from the borehole.

In accomplishing this and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the rear portion of a drilling rig embodying the feature of the present invention and showing a portion thereof in vertical section to illustrate engagement with the Kelly rod.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear portion of the drilling rig.

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the Kelly rod connecting member of the feeding mechanism being moved away from drilling position.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the drill rotating and feeding mechanism showing the Kelly rod connected therewith.

Fig. 5 is a similar perspective view showing the Kelly rodconnecting member when moved out of drilling position to carry the Kelly rod out of the way of the drill pipe handling operations.

Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2. p

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates the rear portion of a drilling rig such as used in drilling shallow wells, the taking of cores, drilling of shot-holes, and performing similar oil field operations. The drilling rig illustrated is of portable character and is mounted upon a platform 2 carried upon the frame 3 of a motor vehicle 4. supp rted on the platform 2 is the usual mast 5, winding drum 6, and other appliances necessary in drilling a bore-hole. Mounted at the rear of the platform is a drill rod rotating mechanism 1, and a drill rod feeding mechanism 8. 'v v The parts above mentioned may'be of any conventional construction, but in the drawings, the drill rotating mechanism is shown as comprising a cylindrical housing 9 in which is rotatably mounted a Kelly rod drive bushing Ill, and which is driven from the power plant of the motor vehicle'through suitable gearing as in conventional practice.

Extending laterally of the housing 9 are winglike arms II and 12 carrying hydraulic cylinders l3 and H of the feeding mechanism 8. Slidable in the cylinders are the usual pistons (not shown) to which are secured rods l5 and I6, having their upper ends connected by a yoke ll. The yoke ll includes a. rearwardly curved, off-set portion l8, intermediate the cylinders, so that the yoke clears the Kelly rod opening IQ of the bushing l0, and allows ample clearance for pulling and running in sections of drill pipe when the Kelly rod 20 is removed therefrom as later described.

Formed at the ends of the yoke are ears 2i and 22, to which are connected guide rods 23 and 24 located in parallel relation with the piston rods [5 and i5 and having sliding hearing within tubular guides 25 and 26 carried by the wings I! and I2. Formed on the opposite side of the yoke are pairs of spaced flanges 21-28 and 29-30, having registering openings 3| therethrough to .pivotally secure a. Kelly rod chuck carrier and connecting member 32, as now to be described.

The Kelly rod connecting member is of substantially bar shape, and has its central portion provided with a ring-like housing 33, carrying antifriction bearings 34 and 35 therein to journal a sleeve-like spindle 36 of a chuck 31. The spindle 36 has an axial bore 38 adapted to align with the bore I 9 of the drive bushing and wherethrough the Kelly rod 20 is passed when it is connected to the drilling string. The chuck 31 may be of any conventional design but is here shown as including sets of jaws 39 adapted to' grippingly engage the Kelly rod upon adjustment of the screws 40 and whereby the Kelly rod is adapted to be raised or lowered responsive to actuation of the pistons in the respective hydraulic cylinders so that pressure may be applied on the drilling string to promote cutting operation of the bit, or relieved therefrom when the weight of the'drilling string is excessive for favorable drilling operation.

Extending laterally from the sides of the ringlike housing are arms "-42, having sleeve por= tions 43 and 44 at the ends thereof. The sleeve portions are providedwith bores 45 adapted to register with the openings 3| previously mentioned. The sleeve-like portions are such as to fit snugly between the ears 21-28 and 29-30 to form hinge joints whereon the bar-like member is adapted to swing as later described, and whereby it is retained in fixed relation with the connecting yoke H. The shape of the arms and the location of the hinge connections are such that the bore of the chuck spindle axially aligns with the opening in the drive bushing so that when the drilling string is made up, the Kelly rod 20 is adapted to be freely passed therethrough as shown in Fig. 1, the connecting member being retained by hinge pintles, such as headed pins ll and II, extending through the respective openswivel head 49 suspended from the top of the mast by tackle as indicated by the balls 50, Fig. 1. At the start of drilling, the lower end of the Kelly rod is engaged within the drive bushing so that it is adapted to be rotated thereby. The pistons 01' the hydraulic cylinders are in the upper ends of the cylinders and the chuck is grippingly engaged with the Kelly rod.

When a pressure medium is admitted to the upper ends of the respective cylinders the pistons are moved downwardly to apply pressure on the drilling string through the connecting member 39 and chuck 36 which is carried thereby. When the pistons reach the bottom of the cylinders, the chuck is loosened from the Kelly rod and the pistons are raised by admitting pressure medium to the bottom of the cylinders'to carry the chuck upwardly to a new position with respect to the Kelly rod. Upon retightening of the chuck and again admitting pressure medium to the upper ends of the cylinders, the drilling pressure is reapplied to the drilling string whileit is drilling string, the Kelly rod being secured to a being rotated. This operation is repeated until;

the swivel approaches the rotating mechanism, whereupon it becomes necessary to apply another stand of drill pipe to the drilling string in the bore-hole. The chuck 36 is then loosened from gripping engagement with the Kelly rod, and the Kelly rod raised to the point where the lower end thereof passes above the top of the bore-hole. The pipe section connected therewith is then supported by a suitable spider or the like (not shown), while the Kelly rod is disconnected therefrom. While this operation is being performed, the-yoke and connecting member of the drill feeding mechanism are preferably raised to their uppermost position, as shown in Fig 5. When the Kelly rod is disconnected, it is raised freely through the chuck so that the lower end clears the drive bushing, whereupon one of the pintles 41 or 48 is removed and the connecting member 32 carrying the Kelly rod therewith is swung outwardly and away from the connecting yoke and to the side of the drilling and feeding mechanisms, as shown in Fig. 5. When in an out-of-the-way position, the Kelly rod may then be lowered through the chuck so the lower end thereof rests upon the ground, while the upper portion is supported by the connecting member. Another stand of drill pipe may then be readily lowered through the rotating mechanism, and connected with the upper end of the drilling string which is being supported by the spider, in a manner well known to those skilled in drilling, operations. After the drilling string has been lowered so that the bit again engages the bottom of the borehole, the Kelly rod is raised within the chuck and the connecting member still carrying the Kelly rod is swung to drilling position alongside the connecting yoke, whereupon the pintle is reinserted to securely lock the connecting member to the yoke. The Kelly rod is then lowered through the drive bushing and again connected with the upper end of thedrilling string. ,The chuck is again tightened so that the drilling operations may continue.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a simple and readily operablearrangement for handling the Kelly rod during running in or pulling out of the drilling string, and this is effected without providing'other complicated mechanism for removing the rotating and feeding mechanisms out of position as usually is the case in drilling rigs of this character.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 4

1. m a drilling ri drill rotating means,',hydraulic cylinders located on opposite sides of the drill rotating means, pistons in said cylinders, rods connecting the pistons, a yoke connecting the rods having a portion offset from the axis of the drill rotating means, a drill rod engagingmember positioned insaid oflset, means movably connecting the drill rod engaging member with the yoke on one side of said oil'set, andmeansselectively securing the drill rod engaging member to the yoke on the other side of said offset to retain the drill rod in coaxial relation with said drill rotating means and releasable for' bodily movement of the drill rod laterally-away from said rotating means when the drill rod is withdrawn from said rotating means.

2. In a drilling apparatus. a drill rod rotating mechanism, hydraulic cylinders located on respective sides of said mechanism, piston rods slidable in the cylinders, a yoke connecting said piston rods, ears projecting from the yoke, and

a chuck carrying member having pivotal connection with the ears at one end of the yoke and latch connection with the cars at the other end a of the yoke, said chuck carrying member being arranged to swing said'chuck to and from coaxial alignment with the drill rod rotating means.

3. In a drilling apparatus, a drillrod rotating mechanism, hydraulic cylinders located on respective sides of said mechanism, piston rods slidable in the cylinders, a yoke connecting said piston rods, pairs of ears projecting from the opposite ends of the yoke, and a chuck carrying member having pivotal connection between one pair of ears and latch connection with the other pair of ears, said member being arranged to swing said chuck to and from coaxial alignment with the drill rod rotating means.

4. In a drilling rig, a drill rotating means, bydraulic cylinders located on opposite sides of the drill rotating means, pistons in said cylinders, rods connected with the pistons, a yoke connecting the rods having a portion offset from the axis of the drill rotating means, spaced pairs of ears at the respective sides of the oiIset, a bar member having ends engaged between said ears, means hingedly connecting the bar member with one pair of ears, means removably securing the bar member to said other pair of ears to prevent swinging thereof on its pivotal connection, and

a drill rod chuck rotatably supported by said rod rotating means, a chuck, a drill rod engageable by said rotating means and adapted to be engaged by the chuck, a spindle connected with the chuck, an arm having pivotal connection with the yoke on an axis offset laterally from the axis of rotation of said rotating means, means rotatably journalling the spindle in the arm independently of the yoke and with the axis of said spindle in coaxial relation with the rotational axis of said drill rod rotating means, and means for securing the arm from pivotal movement on the yoke and releasable to eifect bodily movement of the drill rod away from the rotational axis of the rotating means while engaged by said chuck.

' 6. In an apparatus of the character described, a support, drill rod rotating means fixed on the support, a drill rod adapted to be engaged by the rotating means, drill rod feeding means fixed on the support relatively to the drill rod rotating means, a chuck connecting the drill rod with said feeding means, a yoke having fixed connection with the drill rod feeding means, a carrier, means rotatably journalling the chuck for fixed rotation in the carrier, and means hingedly connecting said carrier with the yoke for bodily swinging movement of the drill rod away from said drill rod rotating means when the drill rod is withdrawn from engagement therewith and while engaged by the chuck.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a platform, drill rod rotating means mounted in fixed position on the rear of the platform, drill rod feeding means having fixed mounting on the rear of the platform at the sides of the rotating means, a drill rod extending, through said rotating means, means for grippingly engaging the drill rod, a carrier rotatably mounting said drill rod gripping means, and means hinging the carrier to the feeding means, said hinging means having a' length sufficient for bodily lateral movement of said gripping means and drill rod engaged thereby from coaxial alignment with said rotating means to a position away from the rear of said platform while the drill rod feeding means remains in its fixed position on the platform.

8. A drilling rig including, a mobile platform, drill rod rotating means mounted at the rear of the platform, arms extending laterally of the drill rod rotating means, power feed cylinders supported in fixed position on said arms, reciprocating members in said cylinders, a yoke connecting the reciprocating members and having an offset extending in a forwardly direction with respect to the platform to provide a clear space over the drill rod rotating means, an armfpivotally connected with the yoke at one side of said offset and provided with a ring-like housing 'adapted to swing in' a horizontal plane to and from coaxial alignment with the drill rod rotating means, a sleeve-like spindle rotatably mounted in said ring-like housing, a chuck carried by the sleeve-likespindle, and means for releasably latching the arm to retain said chuck in coaxial alignment with the drill rod rotating means.

9. In a drilling rig, a mobile platform, drill rod rotating means having fixed support on the rear of the platform, drill rod feeding cylinders having fixed support relatively to the platform on opposite sides of the drill rod rotating means, reciprocating members in the cylinders, a yoke connecting said reciprocating members, an arm having pivotal connection relatively to one end of said yoke and latch connection relatively to the other end of said yoke, a ring-like housing carried by said arm and arranged in coaxial alignment with the drill rod rotating means, a sleeve-like spindle, antifriction bearings rotatably mounting said spindle in the ring-like housing and arranged to retain said spindle from axial movement within said housing, and a drill rod engaging chuck fixed to said spindle.

10. A drilling rig including, a mobile platform, a housing fixed to the rear of the platform, arms extending laterally of said housing, hydraulic cylinders carried by said arms, drill rod rotating means in said housing, pistons in said cylinders, rods connected with the pistons, a member connecting said rods, parallel guides fixed to said connecting member and having sliding support in said arms, a chuck carrier movably connected to said connecting member adjacent one of said rods, a chuck having fixed rotational support in said carrier, and means connecting said carrier with the connecting member adjacent the other of said rods.

GEORGE J. C. FAILING. 

